There are a number of events that can occur in public and private buildings that rise to the level of a crisis for which first responders, such as fire fighters, police officers and medical personnel, must be called on for assistance. These events can include fire, armed intruders, burglary, acts of terrorism, and injuries from one or more of these events or other events. Many times, the damage and harm from these events can be minimized or eliminated if individuals near the location of the crisis, first responders and others are notified quickly, provided related information and allowed to respond in accordance with their abilities and in accordance with the type of event. For example, individuals near the crisis may be allowed to exit the arena, a school for example, to avoid harm, while first responders may be notified of the existence of the crisis earlier and be able to take quick action to minimize the damage.
An example of a notification system is a building fire alarm notification system, which is capable of notifying first responders or fire fighters and building occupants of the existence of a fire. These systems are well known and have been employed for many years at public and private locations, such as schools, libraries, hospitals, shopping malls, etc. In general, fire alarm notification systems are utilized in large public or commercial buildings in which a significant number of individuals or occupants may be located at any given time. The typical fire alarm notification system provides for some or all of the following functions: detecting a fire (or providing individuals with the chance to notify others of the existence of a fire), notifying nearby occupants of the presence of a fire, notifying the fire department and other emergency personnel, and in some cases, operating certain fire safety functions, such as closing fire retardant doors, setting off the sprinkler system, etc.
Fire alarm notification systems often incorporate detection measures or devices to detect a fire, such as fire and smoke detectors. Additionally, manual fire alarm pull boxes may be placed at strategic locations around a building so that individuals can use the manual boxes, which may commence the notification process earlier than if the notification process was started using the automated fire and smoke detectors. The fire alarm notification systems are usually wired throughout a building so that whether a manual pull box is engaged, or a smoke detector detects smoke and sets off an alarm, occupants throughout the building are notified, fire safety functions can be initiated and the fire department can be automatically notified, usually through an approved central station dispatch or monitor.
To warn building occupants, for example, a siren or sound loud enough to indicate the presence of a fire hazard can be sounded throughout the building along with instructions to direct emergency evacuation. In this instance, the alarm sounds and building occupants understand that they must leave the building immediately, or move to a particular pre-approved location. Visual indicators of the fire emergency may also be employed in combination with the sound producing fire warning devices. The most common devices employed include horns, bells, sirens, stroboscopic lights, and speakers.
Some private locations, such as homes and businesses incorporate fire alarm notification systems, security alarms and medical emergency notification systems, which likewise, attempt to prevent a security crisis or indicate that a security or medical emergency crisis has occurred, such as burglaries, unauthorized intrusions or other illegal activities. These security systems utilize sensors to determine if an intrusion has occurred and then send a signal that an intrusion has occurred.
However, buildings and public locations that may be tens or hundreds of thousands of square feet in size, and may contain hundreds or thousands of occupants, need a more robust security crisis notification system for notifying occupants or individuals located near the vicinity of the security crisis or medical emergency, especially for acts of terrorism or armed intruders, such as those that have occurred over the years at public schools and other public locations. A first responder notification system used for acts of terrorism would provide individuals near the security crisis an increased ability to quickly notify first responders of the crisis, including the general or specific location of the crisis, while also quickly notifying those near the vicinity of the crisis. Over time, and because of the similarities to existing notification systems, building occupants and others would understand the function of the system and be able to utilize the notification devices as necessary to notify first responders and others of the crisis or crises.
Further, since the response of individuals in the area is different for a fire crisis, a police emergency, and for a medical emergency, a system is needed that can address one or more of the different issues that arise during these crises. As such, there currently exists a need for a first responder crisis notification system, which may include particular devices, along with methods that minimizes the time from the inception of the crisis or crises until providing notification to the first responders and others. Such a crisis notification system will allow for faster reaction time and the reduction or elimination of damage and harm to those in the vicinity of the crisis or crises. Quick notification and the transmission of information, including the general or specific location of the crisis, to the first responders and emergency authorities, along with notification and instructions to those in the vicinity of the crisis is vital for reducing injury and death during a security crisis event.